Proofreading PDFs for Publishers
Barb Barnes
Beginning with an overview of several publishers’ schedules and processes, we’ll discuss what’s generally required when proofreading page proofs and how to work with your editors to decipher what they expect from you. Sometimes you’ll need more directives than what may be given in a project email or on its style sheet, so we’ll field common questions proofreaders ask their editors about the job. We’ll review proofreading marks and cover the application of stamps in Adobe Reader [and touch on PDF X-Change as an alternative] and what, in general, your editor will expect from your markup.
Fiction Line Editing: Seeing the Forest for the Trees
Barb Barnes
Between developmental editing and copyediting lies the specialized skill of line editing, also known as stylistic editing. It is a different animal, requiring knowledge of the rules as well as when and how to bend or break them. This stage is a line-by-line honing of elements such as style, pace, flow, word choice, voice, authenticity in narrative and dialogue, point of view, and show versus tell. We’ll drill down with practical examples of a line edit and briefly discuss the gray line between line editing and a heavy copyedit
Yes, We Do See Color
Sharon Elliott
Let’s be honest—Christian publishing has issues with race. We seem to believe we need separate books for White evangelicals, African-American Christians, and international believers. We associate the liberal and conservative titles with denominations and races, judge the morality of the adherents based on our outsider understanding of the other side’s beliefs, and then publish books to cater to one or the other. So what’s the problem? As writers, editors, agents, and publishers, we are first supposed to be looking at all we do in this industry through the lens of being one in Christ. Attend this workshop and be challenged to develop a cultural awareness of the Bible, think about identifying your own biases, and separate wrong from different when writing, editing, and publishing.
From God, Through You
Sharon Elliott
Help your clients add vibrant, biblically based examples to their work by delving into the Bible differently during your personal study time. Bring your Bible and your creativity to this workshop and go away with a personalized study. As you look at what you read in different ways, you will be better able to help those you edit to write using the Bible more creatively.
The Business of Editing (two sessions)
Deb Haggerty
Editing is more than finding errors in manuscripts or helping to structure a book. Editing is also a business. What is required to set up your business? What do you need to do to have your business viewed as legitimate and not just a hobby? Learn different business types, things to consider, and records to keep.
How to Become a Publisher’s Dream Editor
Larry Leech
Being part of a publishing house is like being part of a family. We all have members whom we love to be around, and others, well, not so much. So, how does an editor become the family member that others love and gravitate toward? In this workshop, discover the five things all publishers look for in a great editor. And be welcomed into the family with open arms.
Industry Standards, Guidelines, and a Roadmap
Larry Leech
Those entering publishing often shiver, quiver, and shake their head because there’s so much to learn in so little time. Fret not. In this workshop, I’ll equip you with necessary knowledge to keep you on the road to a successful career as an editor. We’ll discuss how to establish contacts and grow a freelance business, maintain a healthy editing schedule and regularly make deadlines, and properly and quickly research information, as well as discuss a few editing shortcuts.
Developmental Editing: Content Maps for Nonfiction
Kelli Sallman
Developmental editors help authors transform sprawling ideas into great book content. Organizational skills matter, but the book will never get published without the right angle, tone, audience, and style. In this workshop, Kelli Sallman teaches her process for converting author-centric thoughts into reader-centric content. She will show you an idea map that will help your author write chapters with pertinent illustrations, clear principles, and powerful style. Her process leads authors to create all the elements needed for a book proposal before they even realize they are writing the proposal. Help your authors skip that first awful draft that goes nowhere!
A+ Editing for Academic Manuscripts
Kelli Sallman
Want to do academic copyediting well? Learn the hidden traps of scholarly/theological writing that CMOS fails to warn you about. In this workshop, Kelli Sallman (ThM) will show you how to arrange and format substantive footnotes and explain details even the academic style guides lack. You’ll know the basics of working with transliterated Greek and Hebrew words so you can assure clients—and yourself—that you won’t accidentally introduce new errors. The next time someone asks you if you can “take a look” at a dissertation or conference paper, you’ll be able to say yes!
Editing the Index: Putting on the Finishing Touch
The index, especially for academic texts, is a selling tool. A well-written and edited index is much like an eye-catching accessory to an outfit. It transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Of course an index editor ensures that the finished product is free of spelling and grammatical errors, but an excellent editor does much more than that. Are there too many page numbers without subheadings? Are there mismatched page numbers for the same entries used as main and subheadings? What about orphan headings and cross entries? How are text entries differentiated from images?
Rushed deadlines and indexing from unedited proofs can introduce many errors that need to be corrected before publishing. In this workshop, Jessica McCurdy Crooks will show you how to create, edit, and deliver an index that enhances an author’s work.
What Nonfiction Authors Expect from Their Editors
Craig von Buseck
In this workshop, I’ll discuss the elements of nonfiction writing that distinguishes it from fiction writing and how an editor should approach the manuscript with this understanding. Since nonfiction writing is based on reality, we will examine the importance of fact-checking, spelling, dates, and verifying source material. We will look at standard nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, and memoir. We’ll also discuss what the editor should expect the author to take care of and what the writer should expect the editor to do.
How to Leverage the Power of Podcasts as an Editor
Podcasting has grown into a powerful tool to help authors build a platform and sell more books. But that is just the beginning! Discover four different ways editors can use podcasts to become better writers, reach new readers, and sell more books.
Art of Persuasion
Thomas Umstattd
In this session you will learn the science behind persuasion and how to help your client write more persuasive books. This talk will give you a whole new set of tools for editing nonfiction books.
How to Edit a Book to Be More Marketable
Thomas Umstattd
Have you ever wondered why some great writers go unsold while some poorly written books become bestsellers? The answer is simple and may change everything for the books you edit. In this session, you will learn three simple techniques that will help nudge a book from forgettable to bestseller.
The Teen Scene: Editing Middle Grade and YA Nonfiction
Kelly White
Middle grade and YA readers generally lack interest in nonfiction material that reads like a stiff, boring textbook. Skilled editors know how to develop fact-based (and fast paced) content so that it delivers accurate information while keeping this very particular audience actively engaged and intrigued. Serving up knowledge doesn’t have to be a snore, so be the editor who can take a mundane middle grade/YA manuscript and turn it into one boss of a book!
The Teen Scene: Editing Middle Grade and YA Fiction
Kelly White
Today’s teenager is keeping middle grade and YA fiction editors on their game! Publishing is an ever-changing landscape, and this is especially true in the teen market, where editorial professionals have to consistently tap into the pulse of “what’s trending” in teen fiction. A young audience is particularly tuned in as far as absorption of authentic and relatable text—plus, kids won’t tolerate lulls or hiccups in a fiction narrative. Skilled editors can take a story line that tends to trudge along in slo-mo and give it all sorts of spins to get the teen read up to speed!
Trends and Opportunities in Fiction and Nonfiction Picture Books
Picture books are the hardest genre to write and the most saturated genre in the industry—in submissions and on bookshelves. What makes a picture book successful? In this workshop, we’ll look at both fiction and nonfiction examples, comparing and contrasting titles to determine what works and why. Kim Childress will also discuss trends and opportunities so you can help your clients create books that rise above marketing trends and, even more, become timeless classics.
Creating Books of Excellence for New and Emerging Readers
Kim Childress
In this workshop, Kim will examine age-appropriate formats, content, and vocabulary for children aged 4–7 as they begin to read on their own. We’ll also cover detailed developmental stages of this age group. She will also provide tips on how to help your clients create fiction and nonfiction books that will stand out in this crowded market.
Avoid Punctuation Migraines: Navigating CMOS Comma, Hyphen, and Dash Guidelines
PENCON Staff
Wading through the CMOS punctuation guidelines can be a challenge for new or seasoned editors and proofreaders. In this workshop, the PENCON staff will provide tips on how CMOS guidelines can speed your editing process rather than slow it down. Mastering a few CMOS rules about commas, hyphens, and dashes will give you confidence to tackle the toughest sentences in fiction and nonfiction manuscripts.
Workshops are subject to change.